Filthy English by Isla Madden-Mills

I read this a few days ago and have deliberately sat on what I was going to review because exactly what that would be has fluctuated from not only day to day but almost hour to hour.

I suppose it is a good sign that I haven’t just read, reviewed and moved on but is this one plaguing my thoughts for the right reasons.

Well almost…let me explain. I loved Dirty English, honestly I did but this was Oh, what do I want to say! …it was hard to almost get my head around.

The story was emotionally charged and I hold my hands up and surrender to the fact that this author is an absolute master when it comes to perfectly pitched tone and implication and although the story might have been inspired by Romeo and Juliet there is nothing 16^th Century about this pair.

Remi is shaking of the past, dealing with the fact that her fiancé grew cold feet and pulled the plug on their wedding with only few weeks to go. Gathering herself up she set off with her best friend in tow and decided to put her “would have been” honeymoon to good use, a girl’s vacation!

But when she meets the one guy she really doesn’t want to see again at a masquerade ball, the course of events are about to get more than a little choppy!

Dax is the guy that Remy has never gotten over but he is also the guy that makes her act like she is completely stupid…and the feeling is mutual. Dax only ever wanted forever with Remi but it just wasn’t too be, but is it now?

I love the angst of their situation the fact that neither of them have fully explained or gotten over what happened between them in the past, the fact that moving forward together is going to be like herding cats but that not moving forward together is likely to destroy them both.

They had barriers that they need to let down, walls that had to be torn down brick by brick but they had a will to make it happen, no matter how tough the road got. I love the fact that this author was willing to show their vulnerabilities, to explore the way we as humans almost delight in self-sabotage. We fight so hard to resist the things that make us happy for all the wrong reasons when in reality we should welcome, love, kindness and intimacy with open arms.

I could have bashed the pair of them at times for their stubbornness but I got that they needed to be that way in order to find their path back to each other. But saying that when they deliberately set out to make each other jealous…I couldn’t help but smile. If you don’t care, why bother?

There were twists and turns that the author kept well-hidden and secrets that once they came to light set the story on fire. This was cleverly created. It was beautifully worded and uniquely constructive…I couldn’t put it down.